


Tale of the Sheepsquatch

by greekowl87



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Case Fic, Diana Angst, F/M, MSR, XFCryptidChallenge19, season 6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-03-30 01:54:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19032355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greekowl87/pseuds/greekowl87
Summary: Written for the Cryptid Challenge over on Tumblr. Mulder and Scully go to West Virginia to investigate the sheepsquatch.





	Tale of the Sheepsquatch

**Author's Note:**

> Time frame: Season 6ish. Post My Son/Tithonus. Established relationship. Reworking angst and tension.
> 
> A/N: I’m not gonna lie. I picked this cryptic after a recent DLC update from the video game Fallout 76. I haven’t completed the quest line all the way but I was surprised to see it was based off a real thing and the timing of the real-life actual sightings made this even more interesting. Sheepsquatch. I also rewatched ‘Detour’ a lot to get into the mood to write this so that episode is referenced a lot in this. Set season 6 dealing after post ‘My Son’ with an established relationship. Not much smut however but still MSR with an established relationship. Not gonna lie, this was a struggle to do for me. Towards the end, it felt rushed so I apologize for the crappy writing overall with it. Hope you enjoy anyways. A big thanks to @clover-covered-hills for being a second set of eyes and betaing this.

At 7am, down in the basement of the Hoover Building, Mulder read over the handwritten letter for the fifth time, discovering a new word or meaning underneath the smeared black ink and coffee stains. Being the first one into work had its perks. He could focus on work without interruption and ensured he could surprise Scully before she had a chance to refute him with another well-designed counter-argument. He leaned back into his chair, adjusting the worn letter so that he could see the words in the early morning light that came from the skylight.

“Morning, Mulder.”

He looked up from his reading to see his partner enter wearing a sharp black suit with the longer jackets she had taken to wearing lately. A light blue blouse underneath indicated she was at least in a lighter mood than what he was expecting. “Morning, Scully.”

She gave him a weak smiled and held up a paper bag like an olive branch. “I brought breakfast.”

“Is that Twisted Sister’s fresh cinnamon buns I smell? Oh, Scully, you shouldn’t have.”

“Consider it a peace offering for missing dinner last night.”

Last night. She had canceled on their dinner date and the usual evening at one of their apartments that followed. Ever since Antarctica, Diana’s reemergence, and their tumultuous journey from being taken off the x-files and reclaiming them, things between them were tense, to say the least. Mulder couldn’t argue that small gestures like Scully bringing them breakfast was not without effort.

“It’s fine, Scully. Life happens. You didn’t bring one just for me, did you? Are you still on that stupid bee pollen kick?”

“I got myself a nice big blueberry muffin,” she told him.

Scully set her briefcase and purse down at the back of their office and fetched paper plates and plastic forks. 

“Go half with you?”

Mulder gave her an infectious smile that she could not refuse. With a slight chuckle, she nodded and agreed. As she took her customary seat from across from him, he waved the coffee stained letter in the air like a prize. “So I found us a case.”

“A case.” She lifted her eyebrows sarcastically and looked down to her muffin. “On something that looks like it's from the 19th century?”

“Not fair, Scully. We never discount any lead to help those in need.”

“So what’s the case?”

“West Virginia.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Van Blundht?”

“No, no.” He gave her an awkward smile. “I promise. Still me.”

“Investigation is required,” she replied cheekily. 

He wisely kept his commentary on the state of their personal relationship quiet. “Anyways, have you ever heard of the Sheepsquatch, Scully?”

“The what-the-what?”

“Sheepsquatch. It was originally sighted in the same county as the Mothman.”

“Mothmen?”

“Different type from the ones in Florida. They actually have a statue of their version of in town. We could get a picture of it.” She cleared her throat and he continued. “No. The Sheepsquatch seems to be as random as the Flatwoods Monster.”

“The Flatwoods Monster? Wasn’t that an alien or something? Mulder, are you hinting at a cryptid chase through West Virginia?”

“No. Sort of. Not really.” He waved the letter again for emphasis. “I got a letter from Malachi Potter. He is the first known sighting of the Sheepsquatch in 1994. Been hunting the creature ever since.”

“Why is he writing to us? Help to chase a mythical creature?”

“Four campers went missing,” Mulder continued, “and while Mr. Potter seems far fetched, the local Sheriffs are ignoring, chalking it up to something stupid and no one is doing anything. He read about our work in Florida…”

“With the mothmen,” Scully sighed. She stabbed her muffin with a knife. “Really, Mulder?”

“Well, I have a bit of bad news. Since we’re still fighting the budget since we’ve regained the files and Boone County isn’t that far, we have to drive six hours instead take a flight in Charleston.”

“Really? Don’t you have any good news for us?”

“You look beautiful this morning.”

She looked up surprised and gave a bashful smile. “Quit trying to pander to my good side.”

“Mr. Potter wrote us after seeing a news article or something,” Mulder continued with a twinkle in his eye. “Recently, in the lovely Boone County, West Virginia, three campers went missing about six months. Not a word. Then last week, the same thing happened, except this time, they found some camera equipment.”

“Like The Blair Witch?”

“Something like that but what they apparently heard was a camera dropping and a loud, blood-curdling sound...a bah mixed with a growl.”

Scully’s face fell flat. “You’ve got to be kidding me, Mulder. A were-sheep?”

“Sheepsquatch,” he corrected. “Come on, it’s just a little harmless trip to the woods. What could possibly go wrong?”

“Let me count the ways,” she sighed.

***************

They left Thursday afternoon hoping to miss the rush hour traffic as they began the six-hour trek into the West Virginia mountains. The six-hour car drive took eight hours. It was near 11 pm by the time their rental car’s headlights hit the ‘Welcome to Boone County’ highway sign. Scully’s head rolled and she let out a snore, catching herself snorting. Mulder smiled and squeezed her hand lovingly. “We there?” She murmured.

“Almost. Just hit county lines.”

She was awake now and stretching in the passenger seat. “How was the traffic?”

“Not bad the past two hundred miles. Took us forever to get out of the beltway and the metro. I’m looking forward to finally getting some sleep before we meet with the Sheriff and interview Mr. Potter in the morning.”

“Do we have a specific timeline?”

“I guess we meet everyone around noon that way we can get some sleep.”

She gave him a sleepy smile and he could sense some the tension between them easing. “Let’s find a place to stay, huh?”

“As long as it’s not a crack motel, I think we’d be in good.”

Mulder gave her a smile and by 1 am, the only hotel they had found was The Comfort Motel. Scully yawned as they pulled into a parking space. She yawned and nodded to the front door. “I’m going to secure us some rooms. Why don’t you get our bags?”

Mulder watched her retreating back before opening the trunk. Scully came back a few minutes later with the news that there was only one room left. Oh how Mulder could have laughed at himself with the irony. Chasing an unknown cryptid in West Virginia and there was only one hotel room left with a king size bed. As he unlocked the hotel room, Scully eyed him suspiciously. “If you wanted to spend a weekend working on our relationship, I would have suggested something more romantic.”

“I thought we were being professional, Agent Scully.” He smiled teasingly.”And for the record, I did not plan this aspect of the trip.”

“Well, next time we should make reservations.”

“I thought there would be more choices. These middle of nowhere investigations tend to yield better motel options.”

“Like Kroner?”

“Hey, I wasn’t complaining about the sleeping accommodations after the cow came through my roof.” He pushed the door open and revealed two double beds, a small bathroom area with a microwave and coffee maker. There was a color television and a desk awkwardly fitted into the room. Scully met Mulder’s gaze. “At least it’s clean and there isn’t anything I haven’t seen, Scully.”

“Professionalism, Agent Mulder.”

As one a.m turned into two a.m, Mulder watched Scully do a condensed version of her nightly rituals to get ready for bed. He leaned back into the pillows on one of the double beds and read out loud from the case file. “I saved the best for last, Scully. Mr. Potter is the first known to have seen the Sheepsquatch, Scully back in 1994. He told authorities he was out in the woods eating mushrooms when the creature first appeared.”

Her head popped out of the bedroom and he smiled seeing a hairband holding back her red hair. “Mushrooms...as in hallucinations from mushrooms?”

“There were other reports after that, Scully, each one growing more bigger than the last one.”

“I’m going to refrain from my commentary for the rest of the night, Mulder.”

Scully finished the rest of her routine and emerged from the bathroom. Mulder left the shared lamp on between their bed and turned off the rest of the lights, checked the door, and settled back on his bed. He watched Scully as she turned down the other bed. His heart skipped a bit with disappointment. “Are we okay, Scully?”

“Why wouldn’t we be?” She slipped beneath the covers. “Mulder?”

“I just wonder sometimes. I know we’ve been on rocky ground. Diana…” Mulder watched her carefully. “I know…”

“We’re okay,” she said quickly.

“Are we though, Scully?”

“What do you want me to say, Mulder?” She sat on the edge of the bed. “You have the work back.”

“Our work.”

She took a deep breath and watched him. “Mulder, I’m really don’t want to have this conversation with you at this time in the morning. We are good.”

“No, we’re not. Yes, we get along at work but you avoid my phone calls and our…”

“I just need space, Mulder.”

“I don’t want to lose you, Scully. I’ve done some stupid things in my life but losing you isn’t going to be one of them. I want to talk. I need to talk.”

“And we will.’

“Scully.”

She watched him for a long moment. “Mulder.”

Here they were, locked into a battle of wills. Ever since their office was first burned by unknown circumstances, the chase to Antarctica, and then the bullpen afterward, they grew closer. Their relationship evolved. They evolved with it. Mulder never knew such peace and a sense of belonging as he did when he was with her. “Scully.”

She rolled her eyes and crawled back into her own bed. “Good night, Mulder. If you want to leave the television on, I wouldn’t mind. And we will talk in the morning, Mulder, I promise.”

“Are we okay, Scully? Just tell me that.”

“We’ll be fine.”

Fine, Mulder thought gloomily, but were they really?

************************************

Scully remained in the shower for what seemed like an eternity the next morning. 

She could still tell that he was morose and pouting at the turn of their conversation last night. Had Mulder really been expecting her to crawl into bed with him? What? Because they were in a relationship? After she learned about the nature of his previous relationship with Diana, she felt like an afterthought and forgettable. They had been down this road before, sort of. With Florida and the Mothmen. Scully did not know how more obvious she had to be carrying her own version of a wine and cheese plate. Now that they had the office back, no doubt a shadow hung between them. But were they okay?

A loud knocking could be heard over the shower. “Scully? Hey, how much longer are you going to take in there? Save some hot water.”

As much she wanted to stay and prolong the inevitable…

“Let’s put a move on.”

Don’t let today be the start of a long headache.

“Coming,” she called.

Scully finished her shower and pulled on her robe to exit out into the room. Mulder was leaning over the small desk with the files spread out before him wearing his t-shirt and sweats from the night before. She could smell coffee brewing and the stench of freshly microwaved gas station burritos. Her stomach flipped in response.

“I’m not eating that.”

“We’re still going to get lunch before this afternoon. I was starving and needed something. I got you a muffin and oatmeal you can eat later if you want it. Coffee ain’t bad though.”

She regretted her words as she spied a box of Quaker Peaches and Cream oatmeal and a large pre-packaged blueberry muffin. “You got my favorite.”

“Of course,” he answered. His gaze never left the files before him. “I ran out before you woke up this morning.”

Maybe she was overreacting; maybe. “So, aside from Mr. Potter, what exactly brings us out here, Mulder? That’s what I don’t quite understand. If these campers went missing in Boone County, where’s the federal jurisdiction?”

Mulder gave her a sly smile and held up a finger. “One of our missing campers is connected to another group of campers that went missing in New River Gorge, a national park last year. ISB…”

“ISB?”

“The Investigative Service Branch of the National Park Service. The equivalent of the Park Services FBI,” he clarified. “Tasked with overseeing this great nation’s national parks.”

“85 million square miles?”

“Every single one.”

“I guess I can’t complain.”

“ISB investigated. They found our connection, a one John Barr, disoriented and covered in blood, later determined to be human near the remains of what had been his friends. ISB couldn’t dig up enough evidence to connect the murders. The FBI got called in to help but nothing was ever verified. Barr was let off. This time, Barr is out with his girlfriend camping in Boone County.” 

Mulder held up a blurred photo. It was a hastily taken photo only illuminated by a flash. There were shapes that could have been an orange tent, streaks of red, and a overly focused on section that was white and looked like sheep’s wool. “Remember Big Blue, Mulder? Heuvelmans Lake?”

“This is different, Scully. Barr talked to Potter after the first incident, claiming that it wasn’t him but a creature with horns, claws, and white matted fur. As big as a bear. It sounded very similar to what Mr. Potter saw all those years ago.”

“A Sheepsquatch?”

“A Sheepsquatch.” He was grinning like a child who knew too much. “Come on, Scully. We never went hunting for Bigfoot and we owe the families an explanation.”

“No trips to the woods,” she cautioned.

“Promise.”

Scully softened and went to pour herself a cup of coffee. “Have there been any new leads?”

“Not yet. That’s why we’re meeting with the Sheriff this afternoon to review the evidence and interview Mr. Potter. I have plans for us to go out to New Gorge tomorrow morning.”

“Mulder, you said no trips to the woods!”

“How else are we going to investigate the crime scene?”

“I didn’t pack my hiking boots and jeans!”

“There’s a Wal-Mart in town. We can go shopping tonight.”

“You owe me a good pizza for dinner too.”

“Are you proposing a date?”

“Shut up, Mulder and go get your shower.”

“Save me some coffee.”

He disappeared into the shower a part of her felt lighter. Maybe they were going to be okay. Scully continued to get ready choosing a black pants suit with a green turtleneck to wear for the day. When they came into West Virginia the night before, it had been brisk but listening to the television drone on in the background, the weatherman was telling them to prepare for a hardy cold spell in the days to come, she was glad she had packed her trench coat as well.

Her partner emerged with a towel wrapped around his waist and his hair sticking up in multiple directions. She licked her lips and diverted her gaze back to the reports. “Nothing you haven’t seen before, Scully.”

“We’re on the clock,” she answered. She took a deep breath. “When we agreed to pursue our relationship further, we both decided that the work was first.”

“You did. I’m still open to revising the rules.”

“You’re not helping, Mulder.”

He gave her another cheeky smile and a light kiss on a cheek. She blushed as he went to start on his gas station burrito and finish dressing for the morning.

After grabbing a meal at a 24-hour diner located near their motel, Mulder and Scully took their rented car into downtown Boone County towards the Sheriff's office. After seven years of traveling around the country, seeing all types of life from large cities to nowhere towns, this county did not stand out in her mind. Mulder sipped the bitter coffee from the paper cup and nodded towards the road. She shifted the files that sat on her lap, analyzing Mr. Potter’s scientific information he had provided the authorities on the Sheepsquatch. “I don’t think this case will take very long, Scully.”

“You seemed awfully convinced this creature’s existence, Mulder.”

“Maybe it’s just some overgrown sheep. You know, the Jersey Devil is an actual human,” he shrugged.

“What have you done to my partner?” She arched a quizzical eyebrow. “You don’t believe that there is a monstrous overgrown sheep with claws?”

“Where did you get that?”

She held up a rough sketch that denoted a large, bear-like creature claws and horns like a ram. “This is what we are chasing after all.”

“Funny, Scully.” He parked their car and they got out into the chilly air. Mulder pulled his own trench coat tighter around him. “Smells like snow is in the air, Scully.”

“That would make this trip even worse, Mulder.”

They walked up to the decorative gravel sidewalk to the office where Mulder held the door open for his partner. A stout brown-haired woman with thick glasses sitting behind a receptionist’s desk, looked at the two FBI agents, and narrowed her gray eyes. “You folk must be the FBI agents we’ve been expecting,” she drawled.

“What gave us away?” Mulder asked.

“You two either look like a married couple or…” She gestured wildly to their clothes. “All official like. Anyways, ya don’t belong around here. Stick out like a sore thumb. I’m Ms. Alice, the receptionist, and jack of all trades here.”

“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am,” Scully gave a weak smile as she drew out her badge. “Agents Scully and Mulder.”

“Nice to meet you, folk. Ray is back there with Malachi. Boys haven’t stopped chatting all morning,” Ms. Alice sighed as she picked up a TV Guide flipping throughout it. “Poor Ray looks like he’s ready to shoot him. Not a good idea to have the Sheriff shoot some old crazy man. Going out about his damn Sheepsquatch. I assume you all are here to look into those mysterious campers deaths.”

“Were bodies found?” Scully asked.

“Not yet but we all know they're dead. Not the first time some yuppies got lost out there,” Ms. Alice shrugged. “You all can go back there now. If you want some coffee, it’s in the kitchen over there.” She pointed in the opposite direction. “I’ll call Ray and let him know you’re coming.”

“Thanks,” he replied. Mulder placed a guiding hand on the small of Scully’s back and the walked to the back office. She gazed at her partner amusedly. “Don’t even think about saying it, Scully.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything, Agent Mulder.”

The Sheriff’s office was a large room at the back of the building with ancient wood paneling and odd collection of awards and community plaques. The shades were partially drawn as a middle-aged man with the sheriff's badge sat back in an office chair with glazed over eyes. He held his hands behind his head as he stared at some unknown point on the wall. There was another man wearing a black ‘Navy Veteran’ hat with a scruffy gray beard and a worn striped polo with jeans heatedly debating the half awake sheriff. The office door opening focused the attention to the incoming FBI agents.

“Who are you?” the sheriff drawled.

“Agents Mulder and Scully,” Mulder answered for them. He drew out his badge. “We’re here about the missing persons' case.”

“Not more of y’all,” the sheriff replied. “I got enough shit from the Park Service last year and Malachi here is dying to tell his tall tales.”

“They ain’t no tale tells, Jeff!” the older man shouted.

“Malachi, cool your jets,” the other man snapped. “I ain’t got time for your ranting and raving about some creature.”

“The Sheepsquatch is real! I saw it with my own eyes. The campers that went missing…” Malachi snapped his fingers in the air trying to recall a name. “Barr. John Barr. We talked over the years after the first time he and his friends went missing. He saw the sheepsquatch.”

“Go home, Mike,” the other man snapped. “Save your breath about your damn bigfoot for someone who cares!”

The older man huffed and drew himself up to his full height, which was just slightly taller than Scully’s own short stature. “This won’t be the last you hear from me, Jeff. I’ll be back.”

“I’m sure, Mike.” Sheriff Jeff waved slightly. “Bye, bye.”

The partners parted to the side as Malachi Potter huffed out of the office. Scully glanced at Mulder and she bit her lip, trying to hide a smile. The twinkle in his eye made it even harder to keep a straight face. Mulder turned his gaze towards the sheriff. “Is it normally this exciting?”

“Only when we have distinguished guests such as yourselves in West Virginia,” he answered sarcastically. He pushed himself up from the chair and reached to shake their hands. “And you aren’t the only feds in Boone County.”

“We aren’t?” Scully asked.

“Nah. We get some folk from the National Park Service here as well. I was surprised the FBI is on this missing person case too.”

“Our...interests are slightly different but the goals are the same,” Mulder replied carefully.

“What interests are those?”

“Just to solve the case,” Scully replied diplomatically. “Can we start with the case files?”

“Of course,” the sheriff said. He motioned at the door. “Down your hall and to the left.”

+++++++++++++++++

Sheriff Jeff Sullivan was a particular sort of man that neither Mulder or Scully had encountered before. Most of the time, the local police might ask an odd question or two, but they were usually left to work in peace. Not this time. They found him constantly looking over their shoulders, asking questions like an eager FBI trainee, and stepping on their toes every step of the way. By late evening, Mulder and Scully had managed to blockade themselves off in a small office/closet space where they could spread out the multitude of files without interruption. 

Sheriff Jeff had left 30 minutes prior to check in on his dying sister leaving them alone finally. Mulder had shed his jacket long ago. Scully had followed suit a while ago as well. By six in the evening, both agents sat across from each other with piles of paperwork before them.

“I’m thinking we take these files and head back to our room, Scully. I think my eyes are about to fall out of my head.”

“Really? We’ve only been at this a few hours,” she replied.

“Since when are six hours more than a few?”

“Shut up, Mulder. I suppose we can. The only thing that sticks out is John Barr. He’s the only common link between both cases of the missing campers.”

“I agree.” Mulder drummed his long fingers against the vinyl of the wood table. “I’m not buying the story from the crime scene of the first case.” He searched the minefield of files and dug a weather manila file. He found a picture of John Barr when first responders and park rangers found him. He passed the photo, Scully. “Look at this photo. It could easily be staged.”

“His first girlfriend was never found,” she replied. She examined the evidence. “The blood on him tested positive for human. That you can’t fake. But the splatter patterns suggest a violent animal attack. I don’t know, Mulder. I thought we were going to have the opportunity to interview Potter today.”

“Tomorrow.” He sighed and lightly tapped a pile of paper that looked like a textbook. “Mr. Potter was kind enough to provide us with his own statements and research.”

“Research,” Scully grumbled. “You call this research, Mulder? Handwritten accounts of spending nights out in the woods eating mushrooms. Compelling, Mulder.”

“There’s some good stuff here.”

“I still feel like we wasted the day, Mulder.” She held up two fingers. “Two days. Two days we’ve been in West Virginia chasing a nonhuman cryptid based on the word of someone who eats shrooms.”

“To be fair, only one of those days were spent actually investigating. The other was spent driving. And sleeping. I was looking over the previous files compiled by the ISB agent…” He flipped open another file hidden under a nameless pile of papers. “Agent Jamie Sugars.”

“Okay, now you’re making that up. Let me see.” He titled the file before she snorted in acceptance. “I wonder if it is a man or a woman. Jamie is one of those unisex names. Dana can be one too.”

“I have never met a male called Dana.”

“We had one in Sunday school that was a boy. Everyone started to call him Junior to avoid the confusion.”

“His parents must’ve wanted to torment him. Well whatever Agent Sugars is, we should reach out to them. Didn’t the sheriff say there was one staying locally here investigating the case as well? We should reach out to them tomorrow. I’m sure Ms. Alice was the contact information. Or they’ll try and find us here.”

“I still think this is a waste of time.”

“Well, there are some credible sightings, Scully and we do have those camp disappearances.”

“Which doesn’t prove anything.”

There were noises coming from down the hall and Scully looked at Mulder with a raised eyebrow. “I thought everyone went home,” Mulder said.

“Maybe it’s the sheepsquatch.”

“Very funny.” He pushed the chair back to investigate. There should have been no one left except for the few odd personnel. “I’ll be right back.”

He wandered down the hall to the reception desk where Ms. Alice still sat with her TV Guide off to the side looking bothered. In front of her was a young looking woman with brown hair up in a ponytail wearing camouflage hoodie, jeans, and hiking boots. “I don’t have time for you, Jamie,” Ms. Alice warned, “Jeff has done everything thing you’ve asked.”

“What’s this I hear about the FBI sniffing around?”

“I don’t know where you heard that.”

“My partner.”

“Your partner ain’t here.”

“He’s with his wife who just gave birth to their third kid. He’ll be back in a week while I am left holding down the fort. Now, give. Did you all call them? This still is my case.”

“No, we didn’t, Jamie, why are you up here causing trouble? Jeff ain’t here. I’m tired and getting ready to leave. Stop causing a ruckus.”

“Where are they?”

“Is there an issue, Ms. Alice?” Mulder asked, drawing the attention of the newcomer.

“Not at all, Agent Mulder.”

“Agent,” the other woman asked. “As in the FBI agent here to steal my case.”

“Not steal your case,” he answered. Mulder produced his FBI badge. “To help. Fox Mulder.”

“Ironic name,” the newcomer said. She chewed her lip before drawing her own badge for identification. “Jamie Sugars. I’m with ISB attached to the National Park Service. You probably never…”

“On the contrary,” Mulder said, holding out his hand. “I’ve read your reports on the first campsite disappearance. Very thorough work. My partner and I…”

“God, there’s two of you?”

“I promise Agent Scully is very reliable.”

“Scully. God, he sounds like a bore.”

“She,” he corrected. He held his hand out for a second longer, mentally noting she made no attempt to shake it. He drew it back. “She’s a qualified medical doctor and forensic pathologist.”

“Great. Just what I need. You’re here to steal my case and make my life miserable?”

“No. Our interests are,” he paused, unsure of the correct word choice, “are slightly outside of the mainstream. We investigate cases that others don’t.”

“This is still my jurisdiction, G-man,” she huffed. “I’m going to call my boss and we’ll see. See you tomorrow, Ms. Alice.”

She stormed out and slammed the door behind her. Mulder licked his lips and eyed the older lady warily. “Is she always so...pleasant?”

“You’re just too nice, Agent Mulder. Jamie is like a goddamn forest fire. Burns everything in her path.”

“You know her?”

“I knew her mother. Jamie’s mother had her in high school. Jamie grew up around her but they mostly kept to themselves. After high school, she disappeared off into the big city. Didn’t know she was Clara’s daughter until it was mentioned off the side. Beyond that, she’s just that agent investigating Barr, Malachi, and those disappearances.”

“Wonderful.”

“If I were you, Agent Mulder, take your files, go back to your hotel with Agent Scully. We’re locking up for the night.”

“You all aren’t open 24 hours?”

“We have a skeletal crew but they are elsewhere. Once you’re locked up, you’re locked up for good.”

“I’ll go get Scully. Do you happen to have Agent Sugars number.”

Ms. Alice scoffed and passed her a business card. “I got about ten more back here if you lose it.”

Mulder took the business card and gave a small smile. “Thanks.”

“You all got ‘bout 20 minutes before I close up shop, Agent Mulder.”

He fanned the business card against knuckles before searching for Scully. She was still in the back of the building make notes of the forensic similarities between both cases. As he opened the door, she called out, “I found a connection between both scenes. Forensics ran all samples of the blood and bodily fluids found…”

“Bodily fluids?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve never gone out into the woods and had sex, Mulder.”

“Is that an invitation, Scully?”

“We’re on the clock,” she reminded him.

Of course, he mouthed silently.

“So, who was that causing that distraction?”

“Our mysterious Agent Jamie Sugars.”

“Woman or man?”

“What does it matter, Scully?”

“Humor me.”

“You’re no fun.”

“That’s me. Fun killer.” She smirked. “Anyways, there was, of course, human blood found at both scenes. Some of it matching Barr. But there was unknown blood of an animal found at both scenes. The blood splatter was consisted, in my opinion, of something made with a shotgun at close range.”

They gathered up their files. “A shotgun?”

“A shotgun.”

“And was a shotgun ever found at either scene?”

“No,” Scully smiled, “but there were casings. Mulder, I don’t think our suspect is a sheepsquatch but an ordinary human being.”

“To be determined, Scully. We still need to talk to Potter, Sugars, and follow up with the search and rescue people and see if any headway has been made in searching for Barr.”

“You just don’t want to admit I am right.”

“Being smug never got you anything.”

She licked her lips, refraining from answering as her cheeks blushed with embarrassment.

++++++++++++++++++++++

It was late. Back at the Comfort Motel, their files remained stacked on the lone desk of their shared room, Scully’s bed held the remains of their workday with kicked off shoes and their jackets. The mini fridge held the remains of their dinner from Waffle House. On Mulder’s double bed, he lounged back wearing sweats and a tee shirt with Scully next to him. 

“I thought we were on the clock,” he teased gently. 

She rolled closer to him as he lightly pressed his expanded hand down the length of her spine. Scully sighed in contentment as they enjoyed a moment away for the chaotic nature of their lives and their duties. She loved it when it was just them.

“Not right now.”

It was near midnight and they had abandoned their research an hour ago, already coming up with a game plan to talk to Malachi Potter first thing in the morning and then confront the other federal counterpart. Scully was too tired to debate the existence of a sheep-like creature and Mulder was itching to talk. When she had promised to entertain him, she had ever expected that he wanted to do something so simple and domestic then cuddle. 

She exhaled slowly trying to enjoy the moment. “We haven’t been exactly open with one another, have we?”

“Are you still mad with me?”

“I’m trying not to be,” she answered honestly. “We’ve tried to talk about it here and there but I don’t think we’ve ever actually resolved everything. I was mad at the way you treated me.” Mulder remained quiet as she continued, her fingertip tracing up his chest. “But we have our work back, Mulder. We have...whatever this is now. I don’t want it to change. I don’t want to lose it. I want to make it work.”

“We will,” he promised.

“Want to stay awake and watch some television?”

“Sure,” she smiled.

Less than an hour later, Mulder smiled as Scully snored lightly against his chest in the dimly light hotel room.

+++++++++++++++++++

The second time Mulder and Scully saw Malachi Potter, he was frequenting the same diner they were grabbing their breakfast. The FBI agents looked amusedly at one another as he told a tall tale of his first encounter with the sheepsquatch. Scully stirred her coffee absently and asked, “Maybe we should interview him here. Get it done and other with.”

“I do like my moment’s peace in the morning, Scully.”

“That’s ironic coming from you, Mulder.”

Both agents listened to the older man regale the waitress who clearly wasn’t listening. Mulder got up from their booth as she rolled her eyes, already having an idea of what he was about to do next. “Mr. Potter,” he called. Mulder leaned against the counter top as the older man directed his attention towards the FBI agent. “Hi, you met yesterday very briefly at the sheriff’s office. You may not remember me…”

“You’re that FBI agent,” he answered sourly. “What? Come here to make fun of me? Barr believed in the sheepsquatch, same as me. And now, he’s dead. That other fed, that woman…”

“My partner?”

“The redhead? No. Jamie. That person with the National Park Service has been giving me nothing but shit. What makes me think you won’t do the same thing.”

“Our office at the FBI investigates more...peculiar cases than things like missing persons. Granted, we want to find Mr. Barr, his friends, and what happened to his girlfriend last time. We know you two have had conversations regarding this creature.”

“The sheepsquatch. I saw it with my own two eyes more than once.”

“Yes, I’ve read your accounts,” he nodded. “Would you have a moment to discuss the case with us?”

“Why the hell should I? You’re going to make fun of me just like she did.”

“My partner?”

“No, the other one.”

“I’ll buy your breakfast if you do,” Mulder replied.

“I ain’t no cheap date, Agent…”

“Mulder.”

“Molder.”

“No. Mulder.”

“That’s what I said, Agent Molder. I ain’t no cheap date.”

He sighed, deciding to let it go. “I promise we won’t dismiss you.”

“Fine. Your pretty little partner better not either.”

“I wouldn’t call Agent Scully that,” Mulder sighed. He drew out his wallet and took out a twenty dollar bill, landing it on the counter. “We’ll make room.”

“Agent Molder, you drive a hard bargain.”

Mulder left Mr. Potter and made his way back to Scully. He slid next to her on the bench and moved his own breakfast. Scully shifted uncomfortably. “This booth was already small enough, Mulder. Tell me you didn’t.”

“We finish our breakfast and the first interview so we can focus on the crime scene and go bother Agent Sugars.”

“That’s a ridiculous name.”

Mulder gave her a weak smile. Scully knew that smile. “You know something.”

“I suspect something. Call it a theory.”

“I really don’t like your theories.”

He smiled. For a moment, he wanted to kiss her in public. Let the Gods be damned, let whatever come what may at them. “Don’t even think about,” she said as if reading his mind.

“Too late.”

Scully gave an amused smile. “We’re on the clock, Agent Mulder.”

Malachi Potter carried a cup of coffee and eggs over to their booth and sat across from the agents. Scully stirred her cup. “Mr. Potter,” she greeted.

“Mike. Everyone calls me Mike, only Malachi when I do something wrong. And only my wife used to that. So, your partner, Agent Molder informs me you have a different interest regarding the Sheepsquatch. That you investigate different sort of cases.”

“It’s Mulder,” he corrected.

Scully sighed and eyed him suspiciously. “Yes, we look at cases that involve the extraordinary and that people usually dismiss. There is normally a logic explanation between regarding our cases. I am sure there is a logical explanation for this one as well.”

“John ain’t no murder. I want him found just as much as everyone else.”

“The first missing person’s case,” Mulder started, “involved him and his first girlfriend. Blood was found everywhere with the signs of a struggle. No weapons were found. Barr was found covered in his first girlfriend's blood.”

“Did your feds find signs of a wild animal attack?”

Before Scully could reply, Mulder answered, “We found some signs of an unknown struggle…”

“The Sheepsquatch,” Mike grinned. He leaned back and crossed his arms behind his head. “Have you read the past reports. You’d notice that it had the makings of a wild animal attack. That sheepsquatch,” he paused for effect, “has only gotten bigger with each sighting. The thing’s growing. Maybe John was able to fight it off the first time. I remember him say he had a small gun with him.”

“What happened to the gun?”

“West Virginia is a big place.”

Scully glanced at Mulder. He nodded and sipped his coffee. “Can you tell us more about the creature,” Mulder asked.

“Ain’t much to say. It has a habit of eating cattle. I got me some pictures of cows it destroyed. I got a couple of other accounts too. Again, nothing concrete. It’s always funny that those creatures never want to be found or have their picture taken.”

“It’s almost like they don’t exist,” Scully quipped.

“They do exist, young lady,” Mike snapped. “It has the fur and horns of a sheep, claws like a raccoon, and tail of opossum. It’s nearly the size of a small bear.” He lifted his hand for emphasis. “If you’re into all your scientific evidence, I will take you out there tomorrow myself personally where John and his girl were. Prove it to you. Maybe we might find the missing campers or a clue to what happened to them.”

She licked her lips, flashing back to the handful of other times they had disappeared into the woods for what had been a nice little trip to the woods. “Mulder,” she warned, “need I remind you that we don’t have the best track record in the woods.”

“It’s probably nothing, Scully.”

“Quite the opposite,” the older man said. “Hell, if you can convince that National Park fed friend of yours, who is convinced I’m the one pegged for their murder, bring her to.” Mike shoveled the rest of his eggs into his mouth and left with the tilt of his trucker cap. “See you all tomorrow here bright and early.”

“But we…” Scully stammered

“Bright and early,” he repeated.

As Mr. Potter left, Mulder felt Scully’s scorching glare turn on him. “I’m not going,” she told him. 

“Scully.”

“No. You promised me.”

“I know, Scully but it’s probably nothing. Let’s entertain this old man.”

“Every time we go out to the woods, it’s nothing,” she replied. “We don’t have the right shoes or clothes or supplies.”

“I’m sure Wal-Mart or somewhere easily has them,” he said.

“I’m sure.”

“You’re already thinking.”

“That we are likely going to be stuck out in the woods overnight, again, unintentionally of course, and I want to check all of our leads. I promise nothing is going to happen. You know I won’t let anything happen. Right?”

A number of memories flashed through Scully’s mind, in particular, their most recent adventure to Antarctica. She knew of no other man or person for that matter who would go to the ends of the earth for her. She found herself nodding before she could stop herself. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay.”

He grinned and squeezed her hand lightly as warmth and love flowed through the two of them. “Let’s finish breakfast and track down that National Park agent. I’m sure we can get some more answers.”

“I really don’t think there is anything to tell, Mulder. This case is a dead end. Eventually, if Barr and his girlfriend survived, they will be found. Search and rescue will continue…”

“They are calling it off,” Mulder interrupted. “It’s search and recovery now.”

“How pleasant.”

“It’s just one night, Scully. How rough can it be?”

“Early spring in West Virginia.”

“Sounds fun, doesn’t it?”

“Not right now.”

After their brief but an awkward interview with Malachi Potter, the agents quickly finished up their breakfast before gathering up their long coats and traveling back to the Sheriff’s station. Ms. Alice directed them to another motel further out of downtown Boone County that looks more worse than what they were staying in. The Plaza betrayed its name. It looked like every questionable motel they’d come across. The rooms were linked by an outdoor awning for two stories with bright yellow doors marking each room. The exterior reminded Mulder and Scully of an upper class two store motel but once they entered the lobby, a stench of mildew and dust assaulted them. Scully held her hand over her mouth in a vain attempt to ward it off. The front desk assistant flipped through his magazine before looking up and giving a weak smile. 

“You got Feds written all over y’all.”

“Really?” Mulder asked wearily.

“That, news has already spread about town, and Ms. Sugars said to expect company. You all the FBI agent aren’t you?”

“Correct.” Scully flashed her badge. “Is Agent Sugars here?”

“Room 223. Down the left and up the stairs.

Mulder held the door open for Scully as they exited back out into the crisp air. “Why do I have a bad feeling about this Scully?”

“Hey, this is your idea. Our little adventure, which I still disapprove of, to take Agent Sugars along with Mr. Potter to hunt for a nonexistent cryptid.”

They climbed the stairs and quickly found room 223. Scully knocked lightly and the door swung open. Jamie Sugars looked at them wearily and motioned them in without a word. Her hotel room reminded Mulder of a college room door dorm. There were takeout containers strewn about the room and files littered all over the bed.

“I suppose it was all a matter of time,” she greeted without preamble. “Agents Mulder and Scully of the FBI I presume?”

“Correct,” Mulder greeted.

“I was wondering if we could ask you some questions.”

Jamie Sugars leaned against the doorframe in thought before motioning them into her hotel room. “Been here for three weeks since they first disappeared. Ain’t nothing to tell then what’s already in my reports. If you’ve been talking to old Mike Potter about his sheepsquatch, then you’re chasing nothing.”

They entered her room and stood awkwardly by the door. The National Park agent motioned to the bed. “When we finally found the campsite, there were signs of a struggle. At first, it looked like a wild animal.” She picked up a folder, flipping through until she found pictures of the destroyed campsite. She pointed to the tear marks on the half-collapsed red tent. “Looks like the work of a black bear or something, doesn’t it. But then we found these.” She held up another plastic bag with empty shotgun shells. “An FBI team from Quantico confirmed there was a struggle of some sort. We theorize the animal attack happened, Barr probably killed his girlfriend in the struggle, and then turned the gun on himself.”

“There were no weapons or bodies recovered,” Scully recalled.

Sugars shrugged. “I’ve worked cases where they’ve never recovered bodies, or if they do, it could be years later and it’s nothing but bones.”

“How do you explain the weapon,” Mulder asked.

“Can’t.”

“What about the animal blood? It was never identified.”

“The sample was too damaged. It’s unknown. All we know is that it’s not human. Look,” she sighed, putting her hands on her hips, “you all are wasting your time out here. Go back to D.C. I don’t need the FBI on my missing person's case.”

“We’re investigating more than just the case,” Mulder said carefully.

“Wait.” Sugars narrowed her eyes. “Wait. Mulder...I’ve heard that name before. The x-files right? Aren’t you that guy he went chasing the Jersey Devil some years back? You thought it was Bigfoot and it ended up being a woman?”

“Are you even familiar with the case?”

“Familiar enough.”

“How do you explain it then? She wasn’t raised in civilization?”

Scully pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes, sensing a tension head coming on.

“And there are eight reports of children being raised by wild animals. I believe Kipling even wrote a story on the subject! It was called The Jungle Book. Look, quit wasting both of our times. I’m not even investigating no sheepsquatch. It’s murder, plain and simple and because it occurred on a national park, it’s my jurisdiction. Not yours. Go back to your fancy building. Barr killed his friends the first time, indulged in Potter’s delusional fantasy, and went out with his girl and murdered her too before turning the gun on himself!”

“Mulder, let’s go,” Scully called, grabbing his left forearm gently. 

“No. If it’s not a big deal, take us out to investigate the campsite. Hell, bring Potter with you and let’s spend the night out there. If you do and there’s nothing out there, then we’ll go back to D.C. and you’ll never hear from us again.”

Scully rolled her eyes in annoyance.

Sugars raised an eyebrow, mulling over the offer. “Fine. I’ll bring tents. You best get some proper supplies.” She looked down distastefully at Scully’s heeled boots. “I wouldn’t want you wearing and ruining your fancy boots, Agent Scully.”

“Excuse me?”

Agent Sugars went to her desk and scribbled something down on a piece of paper. “Tomorrow, 10 am I will be there with Mike Potter and we’ll spend the night. Roughing it. It’ll be fun.” She flashed a smile and lingered on Scully. “See you in the morning. I’ll bring camping supplies with Mike Potter.”

“We look forward to it,” Scully said taking the piece of paper.

“See you all bright and early.”

“I’m sure.” 

Mulder placed a possessive hand on the small of Scully’s back, sensing something in the air, and guided her back out to the car. The door shut behind them and Scully narrowed her eyes at Mulder accusingly. “I hate you right now, you know that, right?”

“You love me for it.”

“I’m debating where to shoot you again. Camping to find the sheepsquatch? At this point, I think you are just torturing me.”

“It’s only for a night.”

“Just like it will be a lovely trip to the forest?”

“Better. I’ll even share a tent with you,” he chuckled. Mulder walked past her to get into the driver’s side of the car. 

She gave a small smile and rolled her eyes. “And that makes it all better.”

+++++++++++++++++

Scully shivered and buttoned her new outdoor coat they had secured at Wal-Mart courtesy of their FBI credit card. This is one expenditure she vowed to justify when they wrote their report. They had taken Jamie Sugars advice and gone to Wal-Mart the night before armed with a list of camping supplies they had taken off an internet webpage. They came back with a double sleeping bag, food, a fire starter, and emergency supplies suggested by the Internet. The next morning, they donned their new clothes and gathered their supplies and drove out the agreed spot.

Mulder sat on the hood of the car which was parked on the side of the road when a beaten green pickup truck carrying Malachi Potter and National Park Services Agent Jamie Sugars pulled up behind them. This scene seems all too familiar to her, easily hardening back to chasing mothmen in Florida or the glowing insects in the Northwest. After much prodding, they had gathered their own little pack of survival supplies after researching it off the Internet. She endured endless teasing from Mulder but after being stuck out in the wilderness when the trips were supposed to be minimal, she wasn’t playing.

Mulder sipped a bottle of root beer and smiled at Scully. “Lighten up. This is nothing. Your own research proves that this sheepsquatch doesn’t exist.”

“But look where we are.”

“Sugars is taking us out to the ‘crime scene.’” He did air quotes. “Their and our forensic teams have already swept through twice. We’re just wasting time and we can go home.”

“What about searching for the truth and to no end?”

“You convinced me otherwise last night.”

She smiled slightly, reflecting on the long overdue talk they had the previous evening. As the truck pulled up, Agent Sugars stepped out of the passenger side, looking annoyed and Malachi Potter swaggered out in worn camouflage and a Desert Eagle on his hip. “Open carry state,” he replied, catching Scully’s raised eyebrow. “I’ve already been through this with Ms. Sugars.”

“Agent Sugars,” she corrected sharply. She eyed the FBI agents. “This is a ridiculous idea, Agent Mulder. Not to mention you are trampling all over two years of my investigations and you want to entertain Mike Potter with his sheepsquatch fantasies.”

“I’m right here, Ms. Sugars. And they ain’t fantasies, they’re real. Saw the damn creature with my own eyes.”

“You were eating shrooms!” Sugars cried.

Scully narrowed her eyes at Mulder. He hopped off the hood of their car and clapped his hands together. “Let’s be off, shall we?”

Both women groaned in unison, either because of the absurdity of this adventure or just at the uselessness of the two men present. Mulder hoisted their pack and supplies while Sugars carried her own. Malachi Potter was content with his own supplies, the tents, his Desert Eagle, and chewing tobacco. Scully kept her commentary to herself. They began their hike until the West Virginia woods. Within a quarter mile, Sugars was pulling out a compass and a map. “The campsite where the camping equipment was found is about a half mile.”

Scully glanced at Mulder. “You know, this is turning out to be like every other trip we’ve taken to the woods. Especially Florida. The mothmen. Remember?”

“I promise it won’t be anything like that.”

“Yet we went to Wal-Mart for camping supplies and water.”

“We’ve learned from past mistakes.”

“Are you all done arguing?” Sugars snapped. 

The FBI agents looked at each other and then back at her. “Aren’t you all but sunshine and happiness, Agent Sugars,” Mulder called. “How much further.”

“About another half mile,” she answered, putting away her map.

“Don’t worry, Agents,” Mike grinned, “I grew up here. I know these woods like the back of my hand. We ain’t lost.”

“Did Barr know this area?” Scully asked.

“No, but he always had a map and compass,” the old man said, “but he grew up in Oregon and Washington state. He knew the woods and what to do if he got lost.”

“The plausible state of Oregon,” Mulder chuckled.

“It’s gorgeous but it rains too damn much and is cloudy all the time,” the other woman said.

“Did you grow up there, Agent Sugars,” Scully asked, already knowing the answer.

“Little Jamie here?” Malachi laughed. “No. She grew up here. I’ve known you since the day your momma gave birth to you. You’re West Virginia born and bred.”

“Yes, well, that’s in the past.” She walked past the rest of the group to take the lead. “Now if you all will stop talking and let me lead, we’ll be there in the next half hour.”

“Jamie, you don’t have that stick up your ass.”

“Will you shove it, Mike?”

Drama, Scully mouthed to Mulder. 

“A lovely little trip to the woods,” he sighed.

For the next half hour, they marched through the West Virginia woods in silence until they came across a large clearing. In the middle of the clearing, there was evidence of a fire from long ago. Sugars dropped her bag and nodded to Malachi Potter. “This is the spot.” 

Mulder and Scully dropped their respective packs. ISB agent began a walking tour. With her hand, she motioned to each corresponding area as she spoke. “The tent was here. It was a basic two-person tent; easy to carry. Over there is where their items were strewn about.” She pointed to the edge of the clearing. “We found the shells over there. Blood and everything were spread all about the campsite. We really couldn’t form a timeline of events it was so damn messy. We can speculate but not even Quantico could do anything.”

Scully surveyed the area, mentally connecting the crime report with what she was currently seeing. “What are you doing, Agent Scully?” Potter asked.

“I’m a medical doctor and forensic pathologist,” she replied. “And I’m just trying to make sense of everything.”

“So you’re a doc?”

“Yes,” she affirmed. Hadn’t they already been over this?

“Good to know. Who knows. The sheepsquatch is a dangerous creature. Keeps growing more dangerous every year.”

“Mike, shut up,” Sugars moaned. “Jesus. Enough of your tall tales!”

“Just because you ain’t seen doesn’t mean it’s true. That’s why I got this.” He patted his Desert Eagle proudly. “Did you bring your weapons, Agents?” A choir of yes came from the other three members of the expedition. “Good! I’m about to go find us some kindling and get a fire started. The first rule of anything: make sure you have a fire. Cook food, boil water, light, warmth...fire is amazing.”

Mulder and Scully locked eyes, unspoken amusement between them. “I hate you right now,” she whispered to Mulder.

“It’s one night.”

“One night.”

Jamie Sugars dropped her backpack onto the forest floor and stretched her back. She glanced at the FBI agents. “Does this remind you of Florida?” 

“Florida?” Mulder asked.

“Your mothmen,” she replied. “I dug up your case file last night before we came out this morning. Very interesting how you found all those bodies and saved the EMT, her cameraman, and the father.”

“Just lucky,” Scully said. She shifted on her feet. “Let’s get to stuff unpacked, okay?”

“You know,” Sugars continued, “West Virginia has their own version of the Mothman. Even has a statue and a festival around it. We have all sorts of cryptids...the Flatwoods monster, the Grafton monster, snallygaster…”

“The snallygaster is not just limited to West Virginia. There are reports going back to the 1600s from the first settlers that came to the new world,” he replied.

“Interesting.” Sugars smiled indulgently at Mulder and Scully raised a territorial eyebrow. “But I second Agent Scully’s notion of getting everything unloaded. I got two tents here. One Mike is carrying and the other here. I saw men with men and women and women.”

“Well,” Mulder paused, looking at Scully, “we were already planning on bunking together.”

“Isn’t that against your FBI regulations or something?”

Scully glanced at Mulder before busying herself with her pack. “Actually, it’s just preference. I’m sure if your partner was here, you would do the same thing.” She looked at the two FBI agents, amused, before shaking her head. Mulder frowned. “It’s just preference.”

“I’m sure. It’s just for one night. Well, if that is the case, then let’s get this campsite set up.”

“One night,” Mulder said to Scully. “It’s just one night.”

As the hours passed and with little conversation, they managed to set up both tents, lay down their sleeping bags in their tents, and at the end, Mike had come back with firewood and prepared their campfire. The sun dipped beneath the tree line and night came faster than everyone, but Mike, anticipated. As they gathered around the large fire that had been constructed in the center of the campsite, Mike clapped his hands excitedly. 

“I remember the first night I talked to John about the sheepsquatch similar to a night like this,” he began. He took a large pot, filled it with water, and began to boil it. “And that was just the beginning.”

Mulder sat next to Scully who gave a small smile before focusing on the fire. She sat on the leaf covered floor watching the fire, not really listening. “What do you mean the beginning?” Mulder asked.

“John became something of a disciple to Malachi,” Jamie explained. “That’s about when he moved to Boone County, isn’t it, Mike?”

“You know better than anyone,” he said. “You made his life hell.”

“He murdered his friends. That one we did find a weapon.”

“What that weapon was used for was self-defense, Agent Sugars. Did your people find proof?”

“We found proof of an attack from a wild animal but a man could have easily been created by a man,” Jamie answered, sitting down on the ground. She sipped from her canteen. “And while the same patterns were found at the second campground. Tell me, Mr. Potter, did John Barr ever tell you about his little run-ins with the law? The allegations made against him by his former girlfriends?”

“Which were fake, Jamie. You of all people know how those stories can go.”

“And sometimes there’s truth to them!”

Mulder sat next to Scully and whispered, “Why do I feel like we are caught in some family drama?” 

Scully shrugged and looked down into the empty steel cup. Mike crawled forward and took hot water from the pot and stirred into four plastic pouches. Scully had been quiet for most of the night since they settled into their campsite. Malachi Potter and Sugars continued to heatedly debate the finer details of John Barr’s character. She was brought out of the memorizing gaze watching the fire as Mulder gently nudged her arm and held out a steel cup of beef stroganoff. She took it wordlessly as Mulder frowned slightly, sensing something off with Scully. 

“Mike, there is no sheepsquatch,” Sugars declared. Her plastic spoon banged against the steel cup. “If anything, Barr and his girlfriend are missing. Probably a murder because there is a history there. Not to be confused with some mythical creature!”

“Believe what you want, Jamie. I’ll be back. I’m going to check the perimeter.” He drew a pair of night vision. “See you in a bit.”

“There’s nothing there!”

“Agent Sugars,” Mr. Potter said, using the National Parks agent’s full title. “I believe what I want to believe, you believe what you want to believe. But mark my words, if we see the sheepsquatch tonight, I will make you a believer.”

Mulder kept quiet, growing more concerned with Scully’s silence. As the old man marched off for his patrol, Sugars leaned back against the tree trunk and began to eat her own camp dinner. “You okay, Agent Scully?”

“Fine,” she replied. Scully began to forcefully shovel the liquefied beef stroganoff into her mouth. She winced at the texture of it. “Just peachy, Agent Sugars. So tell me, is there bad blood between you and Mr. Potter?”

“I’m pretty sure you all have heard the small town gossip about me growing up here. Mike was a friend of my mother’s when I was a kid. Almost became my step-dad at one point but he was always peculiar. It ended in a disaster,” she told them vaguely.

“What happened?”

“I joined the very little known ISB right after college. I always felt at home in the forests so I thought it was perfect. Get away, throw yourself into your work.”

“I know the feeling,” Mulder echoed.

Scully glanced at her partner and noticed the lingering gaze Sugars left on her partner before focusing back on her own dinner. “So are two convinced that there is nothing here? All the work has been done.”

“I want the samples retested,” Scully said softly. “In addition to anything we find tonight.”

“You ain’t going to find anything that hasn’t already been found.”

Scully ate her food silently. “Well,” Mulder replied, breaking the silence, “we’ll be out of your hair if we find nothing. Why are you so defensive about us assisting you with your case?”

“It’s my job. There aren’t a lot of us and with my partner on leave with his wife giving birth to his third kid, it’s even tougher. How long you all been partners?”

“Six years,” Scully replied.

“I’ve been with Crockett for about four.” Sugars laughed. “And that is his real last name. The kicker is that is legal name is Davy John Crockett. He usually goes by John. Tell, Agent Mulder, is your real name Fox?”

Scully hunched over to finish her meal, the uneasiness she felt earlier when the first met Agent Sugars coming back in force. She could swear the other woman was flirting with Mulder, but then again, there were moments where Scully thought Sugars was flirting with her. The insecurity came back in force as the same fears and nerves she had felt the past couple of months with Diana’s shadow hovering over the partnership came back. 

She thought she had moved past those insecurities. This should have been no different than any other cases that they had worked, even with their new relationship. She always used to remain so confident in what they had. Now that they had the files back again and Diana had disappeared, she should still be confident in what they had. But here, in the middle of West Virginia, while they were chasing some unknown cryptid, she suddenly began to doubt everything again.. 

Scully quickly scooped up the last of the food and excused herself for the evening to disappear into the tent. Something shook Mulder to his core as he sensed something wrong with his partner. “Scully?”

“I think I’m going to turn in early,” Scully said.

She rinsed out her metal cup, stored the remains of the bag safely and gave an affectionate pat to Mulder’s arm before retiring to their tent. She gave a curt nod to the other agent. After the tent zipper shut snugly, Sugars pursed her lips and blew out slowly. “Shit,” she whispered, “is your partner always so intense?”

“She...we’re working through some things,” Mulder whispered. “Scully tends to keep her emotions close to her chest.”

He glanced at the tent as Scully turned on the flashlight briefly before it went dark. He knew his partner. He knew she was still awake, probably listening to their conversation. Or she could be doing just the opposite. Sugars grinned softly. “Really? Seems to be more personal than anything. What I said earlier, about you two hot bunking, you all really are in a relationship, aren’t you?”

Mulder’s silence was all she needed.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Sugars continued in a whisper. The fire hissed and crackled. “Agent Scully is a very attractive woman. I would snatch her up in a heartbeat.” Mulder raised an eyebrow as she smiled. “Likewise, if I knew you were single, I would put a claim down on you as well. I have never met someone so intellectually stimulating. I bet that is your kink between you two.” Mulder remained speechless. “You're confused huh? I don’t define myself, kind of a free spirit. But you two…” She whistled. “Noticed it when I first met you all.”

“You’re acting very unprofessional, Agent Sugars,” Mulder said primly. 

“Me?” She chuckled. “That’s a laugh coming from you. Why are you really out here, Agent Mulder? Certainly isn’t for no sheepsquatch. Do you usually drag her around the country on nothing cases?”

“We do important work.”

“I’m sure. Chasing the Jersey Devil and mothmen. What other creatures have you investigated? Bigfoot? The Lochness monster?”

“Do you have anything better to do than mock our work?”

“Agent Mulder, I am being professional here and doing no such thing.”

“I would say you are out of line.”

“Really? So says the man who’s fucking his partner.”

There had been a time in Mulder’s life where he would let insults and others walk over him. Hell, he was used to being that crackpot in the basement. He still let people do it but if Scully became involved in their insults, well then, that was a different story. “Agent Sugars, from one professional to another, fuck off and out of our personal lives.”

Sugars popped in a stick of gum and started to chew loudly. “I’ve had some experience in the business it is better to have loved and lost than never have loved at all.” Her demeanor changed. “You want my advice, Agent Mulder? Don’t lose her. One day, the work may seem more important than your relationship. I had a boyfriend who I swear was my moon, sun, and stars and then he died horribly in a mining accident,” she said. “That is why coming back here was all the worst for me.”

“My condolences.”

“I may seem like an asshole, Agent Mulder, and give shit advice, but I know something good when I see it.”

Mulder looked down at his cold food and stirred it. “If we don’t find anything tomorrow, we’ll be gone.”

“The sheepsquatch is a tall tale, Agent Mulder. Something old Malachi Potter made up to get some new friends to indulge in his nasty habits and drinking. John Barr was one such creature.”

Agent Jamie Sugars reminded Mulder of the many people who he had come across in his life with closed minds and little care. “As I said, we’ll be out of your hair.”

Sugars frowned as a scuffling near the tree line neared them. Mulder placed his hand on his weapon with her doing the same. The moved to a kneeling position in case it was something else. “It’s just me, you fools!” Malachi Potter came back bearing an armful of wood and dropped it by the fire. “I didn’t see anything. That doesn’t mean that it ain’t out there.”

“I’m retiring for the evening,” Mulder announced. “Wake me if you all need anything or if we see your elusive sheepsquatch.”

“Don’t worry, Agent Mulder,” the old man smiled. He waved a little bag of white powder. “I’ll be on guard tonight.”

“Mike,” Sugars asked, “that isn’t what I think it is…”

“What are you gonna do, Jamie? Arrest me?”

Mulder bit his lip, wisely saying good night, before going to the tent Scully was in. He unzipped it and Scully turned on the flashlight, scooting to the side to make room for him. He gave her a weak smile before sitting cross-legged on the mattress. She returned it and laid back down, using her pack as a pillow. “Make sure you zip it tight,” Scully teased, “just in case the sheepsquatch comes.”

“You heard us, huh?”

“Everything. I liked how you professionally defended my honor.”

“That bad?”

Scully smiled and held out her hand. “So what if she knows,” Scully whispered, “we just met her and who would believe her? And Mr. Potter, what does he have?”

Mulder took her hand and crawled into the sleeping back with her. Their weapon rested within easy reach. They laid on their backs staring up into the ceiling as an imaginary barrier separating them. The firelight danced around the orange lining casting long shadows. The elongated figures of Potter and Sugars danced. “Sugars in probably retiring,” Mulder whispered. 

“And what about the old man?”

“He’s planning on keeping guard. He just came back from patrol. He has the aid of a questionable white substance to keep awake.”

Scully snorted with suppressed laughter. “This isn’t one we’ll forget.”

Mulder’s insecurities began to gnaw at his heart with Sugars curt words echoing in his mind. “Would you forget this?”

Scully rolled to her side and pulled Mulder’s arms around her like a blanket. “Tonight? Possibly. I just want to be back home and preferably a hot bath.”

Mulder relaxed, nuzzled her neck, and pulled her close. “Hey, Scully, it’s finally raining sleeping bags.”

“This reminds me so much of Florida,” she murmured.

Beneath flannel, denim, and overstuffed sleeping bags, Scully felt an odd sense of peace come over her. Sure there could be some unknown force out in the woods but her mind drifted back to the night in Florida where a poor, wounded Mulder was cradled against her chest for warmth. She did not even think she slept that night. Tonight might be a different story. 

“Hopefully it’ll end on a better note.”

Scully closed her eyes and tried to forget why they were out there chasing the sheepsquatch and focus on the moment. She could hear the other two of their party moving about. Sugars scolding Potter for his choice method in combating sleep. The warmth of fire still making the inside of their tent tolerable, their current choice of sharing body heat even more so. She heard the leaves crunch as Sugars made her way to the other tent for the rest of the night. Mulder placed a small kiss on the back of her ear and her toes curled. She pulled him as close as possible. “I think so,” Scully whispered. “Maybe we should try camping more often.”

“Maybe at a bed and breakfast? There’s this amazing place on Nantucket sound we could go to and you can tell me all about Melville and Moby Dick.”

“I bet you have the whole book memorized with that photographic memory of yours.” She yawned and snuggled deeper into the sleeping bag with Mulder cocooned around her. “You could recite it if you wanted one.”

“Only about half of it,” he teased. He placed another kiss behind the ear. “It’s a big book that my peon mind can’t handle.”

“You don’t give yourself enough credit.”

She yawned again.

“One thing Agent Sugars did tell me that stuck out: I’d be a fool if I missed my chance with you.” He took her hand and held. “I don’t want you to forget any of this, Scully, both the good and bad. I don’t want you to forget me or this.”

At this point, she was on the edge of falling asleep. “I won’t,” she murmured. “Promise.”

Eventually, Mulder drifted off to sleep himself listening to Malachi Potter sing an old sea shanty, the fire crackle, and Scully’s soft snoring.

Hours later, it was the smell of sulfur that woke Scully first. She recognized from countless nights in the lab when she was working on her degrees. The pungent smell of rotten eggs was unforgettable. As she came to consciousness, Mulder’s arms tightened around her protectively before relaxing. Scully mentally took account of the things around her. Mulder’s heart beating against her back. The sounds of a dying fire. The coldness of the West Virginia mountains. Someone’s obnoxious snoring and soft chuckling. But the smell of sulfur was striking.

But then she heard a loud sound echo throughout the camp that was the mixture of a sheep’s bah and moan. Mulder tightened around as he drew in a sharp breath. “Scully?

“I heard it,” she whispered. 

Both agents grabbed their gun as the sound let out again and they heard Malachi Potter hooting with joy. “It’s it! Sheepsquatch, folks!”

In a flash, Mulder, Scully, and Agent Sugars were roused from their tents with weapons drawn to find the old man wearing a bandolier, his Desert Eagle, and holding a sawed-off shotgun. “Oh, for God’s sakes, Mike!” Sugars spat. She cocked back her own handgun. “Do you know how illegal that is?”

“What are you gonna do, Jamie? Stop me? Ain’t never had an issue with the creature before until you all started waving your arms about. Better safe than sorry.”

Scully released the safety on her Sig Sauer P-226 and glanced at Mulder who carefully held his weapon at his side. “It could be anything, Mr. Potter,” Mulder said.

“It’s the sheepsquatch,” Potter repeated.

The group of four stood around the dying firelight as the sound came again but this time accompanied by footsteps. Scully glanced to Mulder nervously. An imaginary sheepsquatch was one thing but a real bear could be another situation entirely. Mulder shook his head wordlessly. The smell of sulfur grew heavier along with long drawn out footsteps that echoed like boulders being dropped onto the forest floor one by one. Potter fixed his sawed-off shotgun and Sugars turned out a large spotlight. Mulder inched towards the fire, kneeling slightly to pick up a log with fiery embers on it. Scully raised her weapon and circled trying to direct the direction of the noise. 

The loud bellowing came closer. 

Potter screamed. “You damned beast. Think you kill my friends and I wouldn’t come from you?” He fired wildly into the air and the sheep-growl grew menacingly. “You kill John and his friends. Blood for blood!”

Scully thought for certain that this was the end of them, all at the hands of some deranged mountain man. “Mike, shut up!” Sugars hissed. “You’re making it worse.”

“It ain’t a thing but a dumb creature, Jamie.”

The lumbering noise came closer, matching each heartbeat in Scully’s chest. In the dim firelight, she saw it. A creature standing a little taller than Mulder with thick wooly white fur and two horns. yellow eyes reminded her of a goat. It raised itself on its haunches and flexed its clawed raccoon-like hands. 

“Holy shit,” she murmured. 

Mulder pulled the burning log from the fire and threw it with the skill of a world class pitcher. The creature howled in pain and then Potter started shooting. Mulder, Scully, and Jamie began to empty their pistols into the beast before it screamed and clambered off on its hind legs. After a minute, convinced they were safe, everyone dropped their weapons.

“That is what I thought it was,” Jamie said, “wasn’t it, Mike?”

“Who’s crazy now?” 

He grinned like a lunatic and went to his pack. “We might have pissed it off, but we better we ready for round two. My experience is that the creature is primarily nocturnal.” He took out a claymore mine. “Best be prepared.”

Mulder’s eyes bulged. “Are you sure you don’t have an atomic bomb in there?”

“You think I was a swabbie?” Mike laughed. “No, sir. UDT in the 70s and early 80s. I can make a bomb out of anything.”

“Wonderful,” Scully remarked. Her head was already hurting. “Look, I don’t know what that thing was but I don’t want to stick around to find out.”

“No point, Scully,” Sugars answered, watching Potter. “Trying to navigate these woods after dark is a death sentence. Trust me. The best thing to do is hunker down until dawn.”

“Just like I taught you, Jamie.” Mike smiled proudly. “Let’s consolidate our gear build this fire. I’ll set the claymores.”

“You have more than one?” Scully asked.

“Always prepared, Agent Scully. Navy motto.”

Malachi Potter began to set up the booby traps around their campsite as Mulder and Sugars quickly broke down and stored their gear. Scully gathered the extra firewood and began to stoke the fire.

“So,” Mulder began. “Nothing, huh?”

“Shut up,” Sugars replied.

The next morning, after no more sleep and biting cold sinking into their bones, the group hiked out of the woods towards their cars. There were no other sightings of the sheepsquatch throughout the night. But when they got to their car, they found a disheveled John Barr and his girlfriend in need of food and medical attention.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

In the town’s popular diner where Mulder and Scully had breakfast just a few days before, they found themselves in the same diner where they were having dinner with Agent Jamie Sugars over beer, homemade meatloaf, green beans, and scalloped potatoes “Well, Agent Sugars,” Mulder began, “how is your final report looking?”

“Questionable but then again I guess you all are used to that work and I should owe you an apology.” Sugars smiled. “I won’t argue against good luck with a pair of lost camper surviving three weeks alone out in the West Virginia woods with some cryptid on their tail. Don’t worry but how do you deal with it in your own reports?

“We’re used to it. How are Barr and his girlfriend doing?” Scully answered.

“According to doctors, just need a little R and R.”

“And Potter?” Mulder asked.

“He won’t shut up and is now Jeff’s problem. And not mine. Still can’t explain it. The creature. Their survival. Definitely one for the history books but I guess you all are used to it. They have me traveling out to Montana after this. More lost campers apparently.”

“Hopefully no Bigfoot,” Scully smiled.

“If not, I know who to call. It was a pleasure to work with both of you, despite our rocky start.” She stood and smiled. In a surprise gesture, she offered her hand to the agents which they both shook. “Bill is on me and here’s my card should you ever need any help. Best of luck to you both.”

Sugars cast an enigmatic smile before departing. “I don’t know if that was a jab at us or our professional careers, Scully.”

“What does it matter, Mulder?” She smiled at him. “Another case is done. No one else is dead. We saw… something. But now, back to normal again.”

“A sheepsquatch.”

“A creature.” She smiled and took his hand underneath the table. “But we’re okay. We’re always going to be fine.”

“We have one more night before we drive back to D.C with our new camping equipment. Wanna catch a movie on TNT and snuggle?”

“I never thought I would hear those words from your mouth!” Scully laughed. “But yes. I would love to.”

Hand and hand, they drove back to the Comfort Motel to retire for their evening with “Take Me Home West Virginia” playing loudly on the car radio as they drove down the main street.


End file.
